saang1 jan4 baa3 sei2 dei6生人霸死地
Definition
To occupy or block a space or resource that one does not need, depriving others of its use.
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong sense of selfishness and annoyance, specifically targeting someone who prevents others from accessing resources they are not even utilizing themselves. It is frequently used in domestic or office settings where someone leaves personal belongings in shared spaces, effectively rendering them unusable for everyone else. The imagery of a living person occupying a grave site emphasizes the absurdity and unfairness of the behavior.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal description of real estate disputes, but it is almost exclusively used to criticize petty, inconsiderate behavior in daily life. It is not used to describe actual land ownership conflicts or legal property disputes.
Grammar color guide
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
